Arts Empower: Using the Theatre for Personal and Social ChangeInside Out Theatre’s “Arts Empower” is a program designed to offer prevention and education opportunities for youth and the community through cultural expression. The program focuses on the development of an ensemble, establishing trust and respect, setting the tone for a collaborative process and building acting, voice and movement skills. Workshop sessions also include gathering material, writing dialogue, and script development. Through brainstorming, the sharing of personal stories, improvisation of ideas, feedback, and selection of scenes for dramatic viability and illumination of themes, participants come to develop a script based on their learned information. Students then participate in a rehearsal period that culminates with a performance of the original show that they have created for their school, peers and/or community.

The key educational goals of the “Arts Empower Program” are to provide participants the opportunity to be involved in a long term quality theatre arts program, to explore important issues that impact their lives and gain self-confidence and efficacy from working toward a challenging goal and accomplishing it. Students involved in the program will learn how to develop and communicate character through improvisation; will understand elements of dramatic form including plot, character, motivation, intention, dialogue, conflict resolution and setting; will understand the value and need for collaboration in creating a production; will understand the history and purpose of theatre in examining and understanding the individual and society; and will understand the discipline needed to mount a production.

The program has a two-fold goal: it not only benefits the participants engaged in the program but for the audience members viewing the show it presents an opportunity to engage around a socially significant subject in a way that is positive and proactive. After surveying thousands of audience members after our shows, we have found that they appreciate viewing content that has relevance to their lives. This is especially true of delicate issues that are often difficult for people to discuss. The performance will include a post discussion in order to elucidate important issues and open up channels of communication which will help audiences gain insights in a non-threatening and entertaining way.

Methods used to achieve the educational goals will be as follows: Initial sessions will focus on developing the ensemble, establishing trust and respect, setting the tone for a collaborative process and building acting, voice and movement skills using exercises and theatre games taught by well known and traditional acting teachers (Constantine Stanislavski, Viola Spolin, Augusto Boal, etc.) Subsequent sessions will focus on gathering material through brainstorming, the sharing of personal stories, improvisation of ideas, feedback, and selection of scenes for dramatic viability and illumination of themes. In the remaining sessions students will be involved in the rehearsal and performance phase, which will also include painting the sets, designing the show logo, preparing the props and costumes and marketing for the production.

Indicators of progress will be an understanding of basic theatrical conventions, improvement in concentration, the development of a viable script, consistency and commitment to the work in rehearsals, improvement in peer relations, and the performance of an original and socially relevant show.

The assessment methods used are observation, anecdotal information, verbal interaction and participant surveys completed at the end of the program.

Resound and Resolve: Working out problems through DramaThis workshop introduces students to the theatrical process with acting exercises designed to increase concentration, free the imagination, and learn movement for the stage. Traditional Stanislvaski techniques and Spolin exercises are used to help express emotion and ideas through voice and body, foster awareness of the self, others and an understanding of character development. Students brainstorm and identify issues and problems inherent in their lives and use improvisation, role-playing and scene work to learn strategies for conflict resolution.

The educational goals of the “Resound and Resolve” workshop are to offer students a positive outlet for self expression, to help them understand the use of sensory and emotional recall to portray imaginary experiences, to release imagination, help students understand the need for concentration in the theatre, learn to trust and work with others to create informal scenes, understand how theatre communicates daily life events, and to use improvisation to resolve everyday conflict situations.

Methods used to achieve the educational goals will be traditional theatre games and exercises designed by well known acting teachers (Constantine Stanislavski, Viola Spolin, Augusto Boal, etc.) used to establish trust and respect, increase concentration, recall sense memories and learn to use the body and voice to depict character. Students will learn the basics of improvisation (creating the “who”, “what”, “where” and “why”) and brainstorm typical daily conflicts. Through scene work and role playing, students will work with others to explore and bring resolution to the problem.

Indicators of progress will be an understanding of basic theatrical conventions, improvement in concentration, the ability to use the voice and body to depict character and the performance of a believable scene which includes a beginning, middle and end.

The assessment methods used are observation, anecdotal information, verbal interaction and participant surveys completed at the end of the program.